Reading: Internationalizing Media Studies: A Reconsideration

Commentary

Internationalizing Media Studies: A Reconsideration

Author:

Daya Thussu

University of Westminster, GB

About Daya

Daya Thussu is Professor of International Communication and Co-Director of the India Media Centre, the University of Westminster. Before joining the University of Westminster he was Course Leader for the MA in Transnational Communication and Global Media at Goldsmiths, University of London. Founder and Managing Editor of the journal Global Media and Communication (Sage) Professor Thussu is also editor for the book series 'Internationalizing Media Studies' (Routledge) and the author of numerous books including Communicating India's Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood (2013) News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment (2007) and as editor (with Des Freedman) Media and Terrorism: Global Perspectives (2011).

Abstract

Considering the objectives of a 2006 conference on ‘Internationalizing Media ­Studies’ Global Media and Communication (2007) this contribution reflects on progress since–seeing more impediments in 2015 than new imperatives to this goal. The need to internationalize media ­studies beyond western perspectives is even more apparent with ever more ­globalized ­academia, scholarship and student cohorts. The scale and scope of change is ­profound but the field is still overly ­reliant on formulations from specific historical and cultural contexts with ­countries notably China, India and Iran requiring ­different approaches, having different traditions to observe. The contributor’s book chapter (Thussu, 2009) highlighted two areas to consider: media history and religion. So it is that careful consideration of history and religion and non-western traditions in all parts of the world is needed to avoid the dangers of focusing too much on immediate or ephemeral material in research.

Competing Interests

The author has no competing interests to declare.

Author Information

Daya Thussu is Professor of International Communication and Co-Director of the India Media Centre, the University of Westminster. Before joining the University of Westminster he was Course Leader for the MA in Transnational Communication and Global Media at Goldsmiths, University of London. Founder and Managing Editor of the journal Global Media and Communication (Sage) Professor Thussu is also editor for the book series ‘Internationalizing Media Studies’ (Routledge) and the author of numerous books including Communicating India’s Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood (2013) News as Entertainment: The Rise of Global Infotainment (2007) and as editor (with Des Freedman) Media and Terrorism: Global Perspectives (2011).